Addictions can be Hazardous to your Health - Series part 7
by riley2002
Summary: Myka loses perspective when she discovers they are out of coffee.


**Disclaimer:** I still don't own any part of Warehouse 13 and honestly really don't want to. It's much more fun to play with the toys and put them back to play with later.

A/N: Realized last night we didn't have coffee. Sometimes you just need it!

* * *

"What do you mean there is no coffee?" She yelled. She was too tired for this. They had been sent on numerous missions over the past three weeks, and she was just too damned tired. "How can you possibly expect me to start this day without coffee?"

"Well, it's rather a long story…" Helena started.

"No, Helena, it's not. You just forgot to go to the grocery. It was your turn. You were the one here, I was somewhere off in God knows where with a smelly Pete. "It was really hot." She added at the frown on Helena's face." And then I was shuffled off with Claudia when he got to come home. What if it was my turn and I didn't ORDER your tea online, because we all know, the stuff at the store isn't good enough."

"Well, it is far below standard, Myka…" Helena bit back.

"Arrgh! I'm going to the house. Make your own damned breakfast. At least they have COFFEE! And, really, it's not like you don't drink half of my coffee every morning, complaining about how vile a substance it is, while you wait for your blessed tea every morning! You are such a Victorian snob sometimes."

Myka slammed the door on the way to the house.

* * *

"Uh, hey, Mykes. Whatch'ya doing here? Thought you guys were eating breakfast over there now?" Pete asked his partner, confused by her presence. "Not that I'm unhappy to see you…kind of like old times. Like before you got married," she glared at him, "I mean, NOT married, but cohabitating in a more private setting…"

"Coffee! She forgot to buy coffee!" She poured herself a big mug. Violently tearing a bite from a croissant, she slammed herself into the chair.

"Okay. Visions of Claudia after a late night now…."

"How hard is it to buy coffee? She knows how to handle the grocery, we have a list….How hard can it be? She was the one here. I said you smelled by the way, no offense."

"Uh, no. None taken, you weren't exactly a bed of roses yourself. It was really hot in, where were we again?" He tilted is head, straining to remember where they had last been. It was all blending together they had been to so many places lately. "I'm sensing a bit of tension here…"

"You're damned right, Pete. We discussed this. Alternate grocery runs, assuming missions don't intervene and then we accommodate. It's not brain surgery."

"Myka, it's not like things have been smooth lately. Helena took quite a bruising on that last one. To hear Steve tell the story…You have seen the bruises, right? Seriously, how could you not? And I don't see her naked…I mean, not that I would…or even want to…Oh, for crying out loud Myka, stop looking at me like that. It was one kiss, or two, but I don't, I mean…oh, never mind. I'm never getting out of this no matter what I say." Pete pouted in his chair.

"Lattimer, are you actually defending her?"

"Hmm, me? No, no, it's just..." He fizzled out rubbing his hand across his face.

"Wait a minute. You do that same thing when your mother is involved and you want to avoid her."

"Huh? No. I'm just saying, people forget things. And it's just coffee…it's not like you can't get it here…always have a back-up plan."

"But coffee? Funny how we never run out of tea. And I know there are secret places in that cottage I don't know about."

"What does that have to do with coffee? And on that note, out of curiosity, why don't you just ask?"

"Because it's her thing and it makes her happy. I don't want to spoil her surprise." Myka conceded in a softer voice, a smile tempting the corner's of her mouth.

"Have you found THE key, yet?"

Myka snorted. "You really think she's going to tell me?"

"Maybe if you ask her nicely."

"Right. She enjoys the mystery too much. I can't take that away from her. I know she'd show me if I asked, but that takes away the fun." She sighed, placing her hand in her chin now.

"Myka!"

"Oh, oh…I think your volcano just erupted."

"Myka! Don't you dare walk out on me like that." Helena came through the door, slamming it behind her, pounding into the kitchen.

Steve walked in assessing the situation. "Hmm. There's a reason so much effort was put into building that place over there…this is one of them." He pointed to the door staring at them. "Go back."

Both women looked at him. Helena stood with both hands on her hips, glaring at him. Looking back at Myka, she threw her hands up in the air, "Arrgh!" and turned on her heel, tossing her hair back, leaving as loudly as she entered.

Myka was still fuming in her chair. Steve casually walked over to her chair, picked it up and tipped her out. Pointing to the door, he calmly impressed upon Myka, "You too."

Disgusted with the change in events, she looked to Pete for help. He just stared at his cereal refusing to look at her, rubbing his newly shaven face with his hand.

Not finding support, she took her coffee and left out the front door, tires squealing as she took off to the warehouse.

"Nice moves, man." Pete commented in awe. "Think we'll be putting them in storage by the end of the day?"

Steve sat down shaking his head, with the hint of a smile. "What is it HG says? Oh, yeah…quite possibly."

* * *

"You're late." Artie looked at Helena over his wire framed glasses as she threw down a bag, overflowing with coffee, into the chair.

"Thank you for reminding me, Artie." Helena huffed. "You make a point of reminding me every day, regardless of whether I am actually late or not. As it is true today, I am sorry. I can only defend myself by saying I was out correcting a wrong."

Artie glanced at the bag. "Starting a new caffeine addiction are we?"

"No, that bag is for Myka. Now, may I have my list for the day, and please see that it is on the opposite end of wherever she is located." Helena threw her hand out at him, waiting for the requested paper.

"Fine, but get that bag out of sight before Claudia sees it. Do you have any idea what it is like to work with her that hyped up?"

"Actually, Artie, I do." She put the bag up in a cupboard, and headed into the warehouse. At the top of the stairs he yelled down at her, "And turn down the bad juju a little. I cannot be held responsible for any goo dumps!"

When he got back into the office Claudia was already at the computer. "What was that all about? And why is there a huge bag of coffee in the cupboard?"

"Mount Helena has erupted again." Artie murmured.

"No, I think it really started with Mount Myka, and a chain reaction followed." Pete corrected as he walked through the door snickering.

"Would someone please explain to me, again, why 'they'," Artie made a huge gesture towards the warehouse where to two women were now occupied, "were such a great idea?"

Pete scrunched his face, "Cause, uh…they're…happy." He ended weakly, more with a question than an answer.

"Very convincing. Here," Artie shoved a list into both of their hands, "Now get to work, and keep an eye on them, or they are going into cold storage. And I do mean cold. I had Claudia take out the heating system."

* * *

The two women managed to stay out of each other's way for the rest of the day. Helena worked through lunch, completely forgetting about it, and Myka stayed on her side of the warehouse. Everyone else stayed as far away from both of them as possible, not saying a word.

Myka eventually made it to the dinner table as everyone was clearing up. Helena left a plate warming in the oven before heading over to the house. Tired from the many missions and the emotions of the day, she dropped the bag of coffee on the table and went up to bed.

Myka had stayed at the house with the others until late in the quiet tension until Steve was able to catch her eye. He just pointed to the door.

"Fine!" Myka stood, gave a load groan in protest and headed home.

* * *

Helena had left a light on in the kitchen for her. She went straight to the half bath to get ready for bed rather than head straight up to the bedroom in the loft. Turning the light off, she noticed the ten pounds of coffee sitting in the middle of the table. Shaking her head, she quietly went up to bed.

Helena had fallen asleep sitting up against the headboard, book now lying on her lap. Myka carefully picked up the book, placing it on the night stand, and reached up to push the shiny, dark hair that had fallen forward back behind her ears, smiling despite the day's tension. Helena woke up as she caressed the last ear. The light hit her face as she looked up at Myka, slowly smiling at the tender gesture.

Myka sat back quickly and frowned. "Helena, what happened to your face?" Multiple bruises flashed in the dim light emanating from beside them.

Helena cleared her throat before speaking. "I tried to tell you why I didn't have a chance to get the coffee. I knew we needed it. I said it was a long story…"She ended defensively.

Myka pulled her forward into her body, and Helena flinched at the touch. "Honey, what happened?" Myka started to unbutton the woman's top, discovering her smaller frame was a mass of bruises of varying sizes and color. "Oh, my God, Helena…."

"Steve and I had a rather adventurous mission while you were gone. Long story made short, I was quite literally used as a punching bag, and have badly sprained my ankle, yet again."

Myka thought back, remembering what Pete had mentioned earlier. They were always getting bruises in the field and she never stopped twice to think about it. She and Claudia had gotten back late last night and she'd just crawled in behind her sleeping partner without waking her. "Oh, Helena, I am so sorry. I'm a complete ass."

"Yes, actually, you are. That's why I didn't get the coffee." Awake now, she continued irritated, "I can barely walk without limping and am in much more pain than any of them realize. I'd hoped to be able to buy some today, which I managed to do if you have not noticed." Myka gently caressed the bruised face she hadn't taken time in her fatigued anger this morning to notice. "I've been pulled out of the field for at least six weeks. I'm not sure how much more abuse this damned ankle of mine is going to take. Dr. Calder is hoping the physical therapy will help, but admits it gets further damaged every time I injure it. I can't not do field work."

Myka tenderly kissed the lips that themselves appeared to be included in the bruising. "Don't worry, we'll figure something out. I am so, so sorry. What can I do?"

"Don't let them know how much it hurts for starters. Right now, though, I would very much like to just fall asleep in your arms. I've missed you while you were getting smelly with Pete. He really does stink when it's hot doesn't he." Helena chuckled. "Of course, so do you."

"Can you lean forward?" Helena complied as Myka carefully removed the shirt. She examined the bruising more carefully, tenderly stroking them as her fingers explored the woman's back.

"Did Dr. Calder give you any pain meds?" Helena confirmed she had. "Are you taking them?" Again, she confirmed she was taking the medication. "Good." Myka left one last soft kiss on the least bruised shoulder. She undressed and crawled under the covers behind Helena, allowing her to adjust herself back against her.

"Mmm. That is better. Even bruised and battered, I prefer to feel your naked skin against my back. It's lonely when you are not beside me. This is much more healing."

Myka laid one last kiss on the broken body before they both fell asleep.


End file.
